"I don't want ever to be a man," he said with passion. "I want always to be a little boy and to have fun." - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan When I was little, one of my favorite places to visit was the library. Every week, I'd ride my bike over and check out all the fairy tales and fantasies I could. The pile, as I waited, would tower above my head and barely zipper into the red backpack my parents gave me on my eighth birthday. My favorite stories were the ones with beautiful illus

When you blow out the candles, One light stays aglow It's the love light in your eyes, Where e'er you go. - Tom Chapin, Happy Birthday Today, my Baby Squid is five years old. My comedic genius, my tough guy, my King T'Challa (he insists that this is his real name). For some reason, five is hard. It's like closing the Baby Chapter and opening the Bye, Mom, I'm Off to College one. Yes, I know this is absurd, and yes, I know I feel like this every year. But holding him all cudd

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:21 My grandmother passed away, unexpectedly, a few days before my wedding. My mom texted me to say that she and my dad were taking her to the hospital. A few hours later, my dad called to tell me that she probably wouldn't live through the night. I hung up the phone and called my

"Oh, that's far," said Big Nutbrown Hare. "That is very, very far." Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him goodnight. Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - and back." - Guess How Much I Love You, Sam McBratney The name of the midwife who attended Liam's birth was Moon. Really. Out of six midwives on rotation, there was just one person I hoped against all hopes wou

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep. - Song for a Fifth Child, Ruth Hulburt Hamilton Well, First Grade doesn't get any easier. Everyone tells you that it goes by in the blink of an eye, and sadly, it's true. I feel like I'm constantly turning back behind me and trying to make yesterday's memories still fit into my arms. On